Oil gun



May 31, 1932. H. M. ROBERTSON OIL GUN Filed April 30, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 31, 1 32- H. M. ROBERTSON 1,361,190

OIL GUN Filed April 50, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Patented May 31, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY M. ROBERTSON, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-SIXTH TO SIGURD W. I4. JOHNSON, OF MINNEAI'OLIS, MINNESOTA, AND ONE-SIXTH TO CLEMENT ZAREMIBINSKY, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA OIL GUN Application filed April 30, 1930. Serial No. 448,525.

This invention relates to oil guns and has for its object to provide a highly efiicient oil gun for applying free oil to the journals of railway rolling stock and similar boxed journals.

It is well known that journals of railway car trucks are lubricated by a pacln'ng in the form of waste saturated with a predetermined amount of oil and placed in a journal box, with a packing spoon, so as-to bear firmly against the lower side of the journal and upon the sides thereto to substantially the center of the journal. It is also well known that in addition to lubricating such journals with saturated waste free oiling thereof is required at certain times and on certain classes of trains and it is for this type of oiling that the invention relates.

Free oiling is now applied by an oil can in a very inefficient and wasteful manner for the reason that the method of applying the oil is such that only the outer end portion of a journal is oiled and without a definite knowledge as to the amount of oil applied. This method of applying free oil to a journal leaves the inner portion of the journal dry and unlubricated with a result that there is excessive Wear and often a hot boxI This invention provides an oil gun that will supply free oil to a car journal above the waste through a long horizontal nozzle that is automatically positioned in the journal box, both longitudinally and circumferentially, by the very act of inserting the nozzle of the oil gun into the journal box without any effort or thought on the part of the oiler except that the device is properly held.

lVith the device thus positioned free oil is discharged therefrom evenly against the assumed upwardly moving side of the journal between the waste and bearing for the journal. where the same will be carried by the journal to its bearing throughout the entire length of the j ournal-and of a predetermined and definite quantity. By thus free oiling a journal the same is not only properly oiled Fig. 2 is a view of the oil gun principally in longitudinal central section with certam parts thereof shown in different positions by means of broken lines;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the nozzle removed from the oil gun;

Fig. 5 is a detail view in section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 5 with the exception that the valve has been moved axially to close the discharge orifices in the nozzle;

Fig. 7 is a detail view with some parts sectioned on the line 7-.-7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a view partly iii elevation and partly in section of one of the journal boxes and journals of a railway truck and also showing the oil gun applied in position to oil the journal; and

Fig. 9 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 88 of Fig. 8.

For the purpose of showing the oil gun applied in working position, there is illustrated in the drawings a car truck journal box 10,'the lid of which is removed, a journal 11, bearing 12 and wedge 13, all of which are of standard and well known construction.

The oil gun includes a horizontal main cylinder 14 and a cooperating piston 15 having a stem 16 which works in a stufling box 17 on the detachable rear head 18 of said cylinder. A hand-piece 19 for reciprocating the piston b its stem is applied to the outer end of sair stem. This stem 16 is applied to the piston 15 by screwing the same into an internal axial hub formed with said piston.

Formed in the head of the piston 15 is a plurality of circumferentially spaced ports 20 and coo crating therewith is a valve 21 in the form 0 aflat disc, loosely mounted at its axis on the inner end of the stem 16, which extends forward of the piston 15, with freedom for axial sliding movement thereon between the head of said piston and a stop 22 on said stem. This valve 21 is free to move against the head of the piston 15 and close the ports 20 during the pressure stroke of said piston and to move away from said head and open the ports 20 during the return stroke of said piston.

An adjustable stop 23 on the piston stem 16 is arranged to engage the stufling box 17 and limit the pressure stroke of the piston 15, and hence, the quantity of oil discharged from the oil gun for each stroke of said piston.

The front head 24 of the cylinder 14 has on its back a skirt detachably secured to said cylinder by screw threads and forms an auxiliary cylinder 25 or forward extension of the cylinder 14. On the face of the head 24 is a tapered extension having an axial hole 'in which the rear end portion of a long tubular nozzle 26 is fitted and rigidly secured. The outer end of the nozzle 26 is closed and pointed and which nozzle has in its upper side a long longitudinally extending row of spaced radial discharge orifices 27 The orifices 27 are normally closed by a tubular slide valve 28 telescoped into the nozzle 26 from the inner end thereof and having an open inner end and a closed outer end. On the inner end of the slide valve 28 within the auxiliary cylinder 25 and cooperating therewith is'an auxiliary piston 29 having a packing that forms an oil tight joint between said auxiliarv cylinder and piston. The

slide valve 28 through its open inner end has communication with the auxiliary cylinder 25, and hence, the main cylinder 14 for the flow of oil thereto.

Formed in the valve 28 is a row of discharge orifices 30 corresponding in number and spacing to the orifices 27 and arran ed to be brought into and out of registration with the orifices 27 by axial movements of said valve in the nozzle 26. A coiled spring 31 within the nozzle 26 is compressed between the closed ends of said nozzle and the valve 28 and normally holds said valve retracted, with its orifices 30 out of registration with the orifices 27 in the nozzle 26, to close said orifices 27 The valve 28 is positively held against rotation within the nozzle 26, to keep the row of orifices 30 lon it'udinally aligned with the row of orifices 27, by a guide finger 32 which extends parallel to the axis of said valve, is rigidly secured to the piston 29 and loosel works through a seat 33 therefore in The oil gun is carried by and from the under side of an oil supply can 35 in the form of a horizontal cylinder having an insulating jacket 36 with a vacuum between said jacket and can or the space therebetween filled with an insulating material to keep the oil Z in said can from chilling in winter weather and becoming of such consistency as to interfere with its proper discharge from the oil gun. The oil gun is rigidly secured to the exterior of the jacket 36 and its longitudinal axis is parallel to the axis of the oil can 35 and which can is provided with two circumferentially spaced radially projecting handles 37 rigidly secured to the jacket 36 at the top therefore. These handles 37 extend parallel to the axis of the oil can 35, are located one on each side of a line drawn through the center of said can and the axis of said gun and spaced equi-distances from said line. It is important to note that the row of orifices 27 extend from a line extended through the axis of the oil gun and the oil supply can 35.

A large port 38 affords communication between the oil can 35 and the cylinder 14 for the flow of oil Z from the former to the latter. When the piston 15 is in its rear-most position it is rearward of the port 38 and uncovers the same. The oil supply can 35 is provided at its front end with a filling neck 39 normally closed outward of the jacket 36, by a screw cap 40. A guard 41 on the jacket 36 extends out-ward and around the oil gun, is spaced therefrom and affords protection for said gun when the device is laid on a support.

Normally the orifices 27 in the nozzle 26 are closed by the valve 28 and the device is carried by one of the handles 37.

To oil a journal the lid of its journal box is opened and. as previously stated, when tree oil is used it is applied to the upwardly moving side of a journal or what may be assumed to be the upwardly moving side thereof and for the sake of brevity will hereinafter be termed the upwardly moving side of the journal. The oiler, having in mind the direction in which the car is to move, holds the I handle 37 the device is held. If the upwardly moving side of the journal is from the right to the left the oiler holds the device by the right hand handle 37 and the weight of the oil gun on the under side of the oil supply can 35, under the action of grayity will swing said device laterally so that 1t Wlll be in equilibrium from the held handle and thereby automatically position the nozzle 26 on the right hand or upwardly moving side of the journal, as shown by full lines in Figs. 3, 8 and 9. On the other hand ifthe upwardly moving side of the journal is from the left to the right the oiler holds the device by the left hand handle 37 and the nozzle 26 automatically positioned in the same manner on the left hand or upwardly moving side of the ournal, as shown by broken lines in Figs. 3. 8 and 9.

This swinging of the device by gravity, when held first by one handle 37 and then the other to automatically position the nozzle 26, also causes said nozzle to turn about its longitudinal axis which moves the longitudinal row of orifices 27 so that they are always upwardly inclined toward the center of gravity of the device so that no matter which side of the journal the nozzle 26 is placed the jets of oil therefrom will be toward the journal. The radial upward inclination of the orifices 27 is such that when the nozzle is positioned at the upwardly moving side of a journal the oil will be discharged therefrom in oblique jets against the journal between the waste and journal bearing.

WVith the device held by the handle 37 at the point of suspension said device is moved bodily toward the journal to project the nozzle 26 through the cover opening in the journal box and between the upwardly moving side of the journal and the adjacent side of the journal box until stopped by the engagement of the free end of the nozzle 26 with the rear end of the journal box and with the outer end portion of said nozzle resting on the edge of the journal box at the bottom of the cover opening. While the oil gun is thus held, the oiler grips the hand-piece 19 and forces the stem 16 into the cylinder 14. This movement of the stem 16 moves the piston 15 toward the nozzle 26 and its initial movement against the body of oil in the cylinder 14 will move the valve 21 rearward against the head of said piston and close the ports 20 to prevent the escape of oil therethrough. Further movement of the piston 15 in the cylinder 14 will build up an oil pressure in said cylinder suflicient to operate the piston 29 against the action of the spring 31 and move the valve 28 axially inthe nozzle 26 and bring its orifices 30 into registration with the orifices 27 for the escape of. oil in advance of the piston.

15 through the aligned orifices 27 and 30.

At the time the orifices 30 are brought into registration with the orificzs 27 the piston 29 engages the cylinder head 24 as a stop and holds the valve 28 with its orifices 30 in registration with the orifices 27. The projecting movement of the piston 15 is limited by the engagement of the stop 23 on the stem 16 with the stuffing box 17 and at which time a predetermined quantity of oil will be discharged through the aligned orifices 27 and 30 and onto the upwardly moving side of the journal.

At the completion of the projecting movement of the piston 15 the oiler retracts said piston by drawing outward on the hand-piece 19. This retracting movement of the piston 15 relieves the oil pressure on the piston 29 and allows the valve 28 to close under the action of the spring 31 and at which time the orifices 30 are moved out of registration with the orifices 27 and the orifices 27 closed by the valve 28. During the initial return movement of the piston 15 and oil back of said piston will open the valve 21, escapes-through the ports 20, flow into the cylinder 14 forward of said piston and into the valve 28 and again fill the same. In case the cylinder 14 and valve 28 are not completely filled with oil by the time the port 38 is covered by the piston 15 during its return movement, oil will flow directly from the can 35 through the port 38 and into the cylinder 14 when said port is uncovered by the piston 15 during its final retracting movement. This would probably vhappen only when the oil is very thick and the flow thereof slow. The piston 15 may be operated one or more times depending on the amount of tree oil to be supplied to a journal.

From the above description it is evident that by holding the device first by one of its handles 37 and then by the other said device is swung by gravity into equilibrium and automatically positions the nozzle 26 to enter a journal box on the proper side and deliver jets of oil onto the upwardly moving side of the journal. It is also evident that this shifting of the equilibrium of the device turns the nozzle 26 about its longitudinal axis so that the orifices 27 project at the same inclination on either side of the journal and thereby always deliver the supply of tree oil onto the upwardly moving side of the journal at the proper point. The longitudinally spaced discharge orifices 27 in the nozzle 26 and the automatic endwise positioning of said nozzle by its engagement with the rear end of the journal box insures an equal discharge of tree oil from the nozzle 26 onto the upwardly moving side of the journal throughout its entire length and in a predetermined quantity.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a horizontal nozzle havin a lateral discharge orifice, means for delivering oil into the nozzle under pressure, and two handles laterally spaced about the axis of the nozzle and by either one of which the device may be held suspended, said handles being located substantiall equi-distant from the nozzle, the center gravity of the device being changed when its point of suspension is changed from one handle to the ot ier, whereby the device will swing laterally from its point of suspension under the action of gravity to substantially a state of equilibrium to automatically position the nozzle as towhich side of the 'ournal it is to be placed in the journal x to position its orifice for the discharge of oil onto the journal.

2. A portable self-contained device of the class described, comprising a horizontal cylindrical oil supply can, an oil gun fixed on the under side of said can and having a tubular nozzle extending outward of one end of said can substantially parallel to the axis thereof, and provided with a radial discharge orifice that is substantially in a plane extending through the axes of the can and nozzle, means by which the device may be held suspended from a point on either side of said plane, and means for delivering oil from said can to the nozzle under pressure.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 in which the discharge orifice is' in the upper side of the nozzle.

4. A portable self contained device of the class described, comprising a horizontal cylindrical oil supply can, an oil gun fixed on the under side of said can and having a tubular nozzle extending outward of one end of said can substantially parallel to the'axis thereof and provided with a radial discharge orifice that is substantially in a plane extending through the axes of the can and nozzle, 9. pair of circumferentially spaced handles on the upper side of said can by either one of which the device may be held suspended and located one on each side of a line extending through the axes of said can and oil gun, and means for delivering oil from said can to the nozzle under pressure.

5. A device of the class described having a main cylinder and cooperating piston, an axially extended tubular nozzle on the cylinder and having a lateral discharge orifice, a relatively axially movable tubular slide valve in the nozzle normally closing the orifice in the nozzle, yielding means normally holding the valve closed, an auxiliary piston in the cylinder for opening the valve and arranged to be operated by oil pressure produced in the cylinder by the main piston, and means for supplying oil to the cylinder forward of the main piston.

6. In a device of the class described, a long horizontal nozzle having a closed outer end and a longitudinally extended lateral passage, means for delivering oil into the nozzle under pressure, said nozzle being adapted to be inserted into a journal box on either side of the journal and substantially parallel thereto with its closed inner end engaging the journal box as a sto to endwise position the nozzle with its discharge passage in a predetermined relation in respect to the longitudinal axis of the journal, and means by which the nozzle may be held suspended at two different points to automatically posi tion the nozzle so that oil will be discharged from its passage in a predetermined direction onto the respective side of the journal transversely of its longitudinal axis.

7. In a device of the class described, a long horizontal nozzle having a closed outer end and a longitudinally extended lateral passage, means for delivering oil into the nozzle under pressure, said nozzle being adapted to be inserted into a journal box on either side of the journal and substantially parallel thereto with its closed inner end engaging the journal box as a stop to endwise position the nozzle with its discharge passage in a predetermined relation in respect to the 1ongitudinal axis of the journal, and a pair of laterally spaced handles by either one of which the nozzle may be held suspended to automatically position the nozzle so that oil will be discharged from its passage in a predetermined direction onto the respective side of the journal transversely of its longitudinal axis.

8. In a device of the class described, a long horizontal nozzle having a closed outer end and also having in one side a longitudinally extended row of radial orifices, a tubular slide valve in the nozzle having a closed outer end and a longitudinally extended row of radial orifices arranged to be brought into registration with the orifices in the nozzle by a forward movementof the valve in the nozzle, a spring compressed between the closed ends of the nozzle and valve and normally holding the valve with its orifices out of registration with the orifices of the nozzle, means for delivering oil into the nozzle under sufiicient pressure to overcome the spring and move the valve forward into a position in which its orifices are in registration with the orifices in the nozzle, said nozzle being adapted to be inserted into a journal box at one side of the journal and substantially thereto with its closed inner end engaging the journal box as a stop to endwise position the nozzle with its orifices in predetermined relation in respect to the longitudinal axis of the journal, and means by which the nozzle may be held suspended to automatically position the nozzle so that oil will be discharged from its orifices in a predetermined direction transversely of the longitudinal axis of the journal.

9. In a device of the class described, a body, a horizontal nozzle on the body and having a lateral discharge orifice, said body having means by which it may be held suspended from. either of two points that are spaced transversely of the nozzle, said nozzle being laterally offset from a line that extends vertically from the point of suspension of the device when in equilibrium, said means being arranged when the device is alternately held suspended thereby to cause the body to swing by gravity and laterally move the nozzle from one side of said line to the other and also turn the nozzle about its longitudinal axis and change the direction of discharge from the nozzle through its orifice. 10. In a device of the class described, a body, a horizontal nozzle on the body and having a lateral discharge orifice, said body having two handles by either of which the device may be held suspended, said nozzle being laterally offset from a line that extends vertically from the point of suspension of the device when in equilibrium, said handles being arranged when the device is alternately held suspended thereby to cause the body to swing by gravity and laterally move the nozzle from one side of said line to the other and also turn the nozzle about its longitudinal axis and change the direction of discharge from the nozzle through its orifice.

11. In a device of the class described, a body, a horizontal nozzle on the body and having a lateral discharge orifice, said body having means by which it may be held suspended from either of two pointslocated substantially equi-distant from the nozzle, whereby when the device is alternately held suspended the body will swing by gravity and laterally move the nozzle from one side of a line that extends vertically from the point of suspension of the device and also turn the nozzle about its longitudinal axis and change the direction of discharge from the nozzle through the orifice.

12. In a device of the class described, a horizontal nozzle having a lateral discharge orifice, said nozzle being adapted to be inserted into a journal box through its lid opening between either side of said box and the journal for lateral engagement with the edge of said box at the bottom of its lid'openin and for endwise engagement with the bac of said box to position the nozzle with its orifice in a predetermined relation both ver tically and horizontally with respect to the journal, and means by which the nozzle may be held suspended from either of two points located substantially equi-distant from the nozzle, whereby when the nozzle is held suspended from one of said points and inserted into said box on a given side of the journal it will be positioned to discharge through the orifice onto the journal, said nozzle when held suspended from the other of said points will swing laterally by gravity from one side of a line that extends vertically from the first noted point of suspension, which turns said nozzle about its longitudinal axis, and changes the direction of discharge from the nozzle through the orifice, whereby when the nozzle is inserted into said box on the other side of the journal its orifice will be positioned to discharge onto the journal.

in testimony whereof I afix my signature.

HENRY M. ROBERTSON. 

